A/N:Yes! Reviews! Thank you SSSOOOO MUCH! (I love reveiws!) And for that, here is the 2nd chap! Enjoy!
And by the way, since I was too lazy, Schuldig's real name was derived from my other fic and that name would be 'Lance Vilhem' but Schuldig will be used most of time.
Disclaimer: You know what I don't own…
Please forgive typos
Warnings: OOC-ness and random-ness
Different
Let me watch from where I stand…
He steadily, with dexterous curves and lines had began to draw his 14th sketch today on his pad. His pencil taking in the fine details of silk clothing and the shade of darkness that appeared due to his sight of the imaginary light he had created for the portrait.
He was drawing him again. For the 14th time today and the 35th time in 3 days, he was drawing him again. He did it with abnormal grace and delicacy even to him, as if the picture would come to life and whack him senseless if he didn't draw him properly.
He wished silently maybe… that he would come here and greet and pose and be a good sweet little boy. But by their first meeting he can tell he was in no way 'sweet' nor in any form or manner 'little'. He was handsome, beautiful that it was seductively unnatural, his body was lean and nowhere near skinny and his skin was fair in tone. Eyes that cut through people like blades with the hint that he was intelligent, powerful and independent. And his voice, good Lord, his voice was like the holy choir placed into one man and filled with emotions that even with a painter's eye couldn't catch. And also the healthy shine to his red hair... the list could go on and on…
He sighed, leaning on the edge of the window more comfortably and gazed outside to meet with nothing but the sky and if he looked down it would be a street. He wanted to enjoy the morning while the sun was up and shining brightly and he wouldn't be disturbed until…
He looked at his watch to check the time…
"3…2…1…"
His door slammed open and he stared blankly at the intruder who didn't care to notice the how Schuldig expression change from blank to pissed off. "Good Morning Mister Vilhem." He said not so brightly but with respect nonetheless, his tone also foreign but American and clad in a white business suit. He had an air that spoke of discipline, posture, and business, business and… yeah, business. His hair was short and dark colored and he was a lot more young and good-looking compared to the other secretaries. "We have a strict schedule today and I don't tolerate slacking, we're not in America nor Germany and even there we must never be late."
"But Brad… I don't wanna go to some stupid meeting and some stupid party it's boring and smells like old people…" Schuldig answered whiningly, he put away his sketchpad and pencil and placed it in front of him on the ledge. "Can't you cancel 'em?"
"Crawford, Lance, not damn Brad. And yes, but you're mother is even stricter than me and she will not tolerate your behavior… and even my behavior for not pushing you to these gatherings and yes, I do too hate the smell of old people." He answered in a less professional tone and the German snickered and got up.
Despite the fact that Br- Crawford was his secretary for 2 years they had become good friends even with the constant bickering the American had gotten used to Schuldig's rebellious spirit. Brad was a man who was used to perfection, always neat, intelligent, punctual, well-groomed, well-postured and calm. Never forget calm.
He let Schuldig walk past him and out the door and he followed behind. "Say, Crawford…" The German spoke out suddenly.
"What?" Came a reply.
"Can you find someone for me?" He paused. "His name is Ran Fujimiya."
llllll
Medicine was never a thing that interested him but it was a good paying job so he had been studying it for a year now up until he moved to Tokyo and had to take on a different university but due to his old school's recommendations it wasn't really hard.
He sat on one of the many seats that surrounded the lone professor in front spoke about human open wounds and stabs.
What he was teaching sort of already knew so he had spent most of time now just thinking of what to when he does leave the walls of medicine talk. And that would be a quick snack then head to the locker and take up his other degree which he found more interesting.
The bell rang and students were heading out the exit. The teacher remarked about having assignments and read the chapters of this and that.
Ran took his time to walk through the hallway, he was new and everything was new to him. He hadn't the pondered on thought of making friends because he was those 'will talk when being talked to' and since no one has done that he kept silent and calm.
Not like he mind.
And through the day he's only being greeted by greedy stares. It's like a whole new level of High school when he passed by he had one of those really giddy ladies screaming his name and he had try not to take his books and throw at them to go away. Fan clubs… yuck.
He had bought a bite to eat and finished quickly on his way to his next class. He's been dying to take away the stress. Stress from 3 things to be more precise. First, the bill to the apartment he shared with his sister, second his sister in general if she was doing alright they've only been here for a few months so he wondered if she was coping well. High school… it's a different hell and third…
Schuldig.
The German.
He hissed mentally at the name that seemed to pop in his head. He didn't like foreigners. His father always mingled with them, laughed with them, he wouldn't come home until late at night because of them and he now he was dead because of them. His father's first love was money. And the only way he could do that is to invest and talk with the rich, mostly foreign.
He sighed. He didn't want to go any further into his memories.
He came to stand on front of a door that said "Fine Arts". He inhaled calmly and opened the door, greeted by a sight of wild college students playing around the large room. It was bigger than most and halved into two, the side he was on was the music room filled with instruments big and small and other half near the range of windows and the brightest part of area was where the Art class took place, easels stood neatly in rows. The only things both halves had in common was the seats on end and then the black board on the other not to mention the large lights hovering above.
The people in the room were gathered near the piano, near a man that seemed to be in the middle of the circle with an electric guitar playing something simple. He had short blonde hair and clad in tight jeans and a leather jacket over a dark shirt. His eyes slightly covered by his shades but he could see the hint of green eyes. He could tell by the composure that he was one word: sleaze.
It was really strange despite the noise he heard nothing from the hallway. Sound proof door and walls… ahh… what an interesting concept… The blonde wasn't as good in the guitar, not this kind anyway, but it didn't sound horrid. He could see from where he stood he had finer fingers, piano or keyboard maybe, but that's only from physical view. He doubt the guitar was the school's though, so this band of misfits must have brought it for their own wicked use, giving the electric bills to the school instead. He knew they didn't hear him enter because of the racket so he just strode forward to an empty chair skipping the first row, and quietly he took his seat, away from them.
If he kept quiet and tried to ignore the noise everything will be well…
Yes everything will be well…
"Oi."
The music stopped and he can feel the whole room glancing at him, he sighed inwardly, trying to pretend he was unaffected by all the stares and he looked away and directed his gaze at the windows which had the view of one the crossroads in the university, his head on the palm of his hand looking bored. Great… so much for my plan of solitude… Another 'Oi' came but he ignored it again. And then a battering of 'oi, oi, oi, oi' over and over like some cursed sutra of death.
Even he couldn't stand the beating…
"What?" He growled. Turning to look at them, eyes sharp as knives, teeth ready to rip their flesh off and they all backed away and let a season of silence fall over them; no one wanting to move and feared that if they did he would leap from his chair and kill them all. Looks that killed… this was the perfect example.
"Wow… he's scary…" A girl couldn't help but remark, a mere whisper so only she and the ones nearby can hear. And everyone else regained their composure, slowly, carefully.
"You're new here aren't you?" The blonde holding the guitar asked everyone made room for him to be in Ran's line of vision. "Which class do you take?"
"Music." He said monotonous, he didn't like talking to people like him. He was those popular people who cared for status. He can tell just by the way he kept grinning at him. As much as Ran was a loner, he was one everyone knew and wouldn't mess with and he liked that status and even if he didn't have one he'd care less. But this one was notorious, smokes, drinks, enjoys having a bedmate or two. It was readable.
"Oh? What do you play?" The blonde asked. He thought this newcomer was interesting. He had beautiful violet eyes and silken red hair and his first impression of him was gorgeous… but lethal. Don't get him wrong, Youji Kudoh was straight. But he can't just let something as elegant as this man pass by. Make him a friend, part of the top class and his own social levels will raise threefold.
"Guitar." He replied again with no life. Ran dying for the teacher to enter, he wanted the class to start. He wanted out. He wanted everyone to stop looking at him. The blonde looked at him wide eyed, surprised at the answer. He didn't look like one who'd take the guitar, he studied his hands, they were fined boned and long fingered, wrapped with delicate pale skin but there were signs of hardship but not enough to make it seemed like he did neither anything physical nor any wounds created by the guitar strings. Ran sensed his confusion and smirked to him self… his inexperience was laughable. "Although you really wouldn't know… people like you can never really tell." He remarked and went back to ignoring.
Ran Fujimiya liked inflicting wounds, no?
"Ah? Is that so?" The blonde man asked, trying not to twitch nor seem effected by the insult. He's new… Just needs to know who's boss… Relax Kudoh…
"Yeah. It is so." He responded, looking bored. Youji couldn't stop him self from twitching any longer. He was so damn overconfident.
"Well, since you're so good in the guitar why don't you play it?..."
"He would Mr. Kudoh, but he hasn't got the time to do it now, now does he?" They all turned to the voice by the door to see a man clad well in a suit, brown short hair well groomed, wearing a very patronizing yet happy smile on his face. All the other students darted toward their seats in a mad dash when he took his first step deeper into the quarters. "The ones in art will have to wait, Ms. Delia met an accident just earlier this morning and there will be a substitute later on and for the music crew." He set his gaze at ran who seemed unaffected by his sharp gray eyes. "Shall we begin?"
lllllll
He had to survive an hour or so stares burning into the back of his head. He couldn't see it but he knew that guy was staring. It was burning into his skull like a man would use his head like an ashtray with his lighted cigarette, twisting it to make the fire burn out. He didn't really need this class to be honest, he just wanted to kill time since his sister won't be out till 3 and it was only 1.
"Good afternoon." A different accented tone interrupted all of a sudden and the teacher of music class halted and everyone turned to ward the direction of the door.
llllll
Why he allowed it, he didn't know, he just calmly followed up the request after the meeting pulled a few strings and the next thing he knew it he was waiting in a limo for half an hour. He silently prayed that Mrs. Vilhem wouldn't pull her operatic rants up in gear and use it on him like rifle rounds like the last time he let his son, quote, 'do irresponsible giddy things when the rest of the more sensible and serious world needed him to fit in.'
No wonder Schuldig was so damn stubborn.
His mother was stubborn. His father was stubborn. His brothers(1) were stubborn.
His whole family was stubborn and he was left with the job of taking care of the youngest stubborn of the bunch.
He massaged his temple in annoyance.
Oh well… not completely his fault. Schuldig pays for him… not his mother.
llllll
"I'm sure you'd all know what to do… this isn't some low grading art class." Schuldig said bearing an amused grin. Leaning the back side of his thighs on the desk behind him, arms crossed above his chest. "Since I'm not as prepared for this I'll let you paint and draw whatever for the remainder of the time." Without another word the class got to work, taking out there materials and their canvases and sketchpads and writing materials like pencils, charcoals, paints, and brushes. Ran watched from a distance, taking side glances every now and then from the bore of taking notes.
What was he doing here?
What was the German doing here?
He shook his head mentally. Shouldn't think about it, there are more important things to take into consideration. Not the German. He's not important.
"Sensei!" A student called out for the Schuldig who in turn just stared at him in recognition but kept his position. "Are you foreign? You never really introduced yourself."
"Well, you didn't really introduce yourself to me either but who gives a hay?" He said and pulled up a grin. "I'm Lance Vilhem. My artist alias is 'Schuldig'."
"You're SCHULDIG!" All of them screamed, even from the other side where there was suppose to taking notes and nothing else. Ran ignored the subject since he didn't see the importance of the whole matter.
"Ja." He responded. Pulling himself up with his hands to sit on his desk, legs dangling in the side. "Lots of money it is when you sell your work to the right people." He sighed. "Although I've been in such a bad slump lately…" He paused. "Can't draw or paint anything new lately…"
"Aww… That's sad…" A chorus of a few girls said sympathetically and he sighed again and nodded.
"I know, tell me about it. First you're at the peak of your career and then 'POOF' the magic is gone! That's why children, " He paused, his mood brightening. "Just like a writer, you need something that inspires you but if you don't your just a man who can use a pencil well." Some laughed at his joke, others smiled, taking note of his charm. The red head turned to take a glance at Ran who had turned away, fearing he'd be caught staring. He narrowed his eyes, trying to hide the glint of amusement in it and then he brought out another one of those grins. "Substance is the most important in a painting, in anything in that matter." He got off his table and headed toward the blackboard. "Well… I should stop talking, I can see Mr. Hall's face from across the room and there's a 'Shut up Mr. Vilhem' look written all over it." What followed after the remark was a chorus of laughter, the said teacher shrugged but kept silent, wondering along the lines of 'how on earth did he know that?' "Now you guys just do what ever you have to do," He took the white chalk on the ledge, studying it for awhile, back turned from his class and he reached for the eraser. "I'll just go about my business from here."
Without a murmur or sign of protest they all went back to what they were doing leaving the room silent again. Leaving Ran to think.
He wondered why there were so many notes in the first day and why he felt so watched. Oh yeah… Kudoh behind him is watching him. And maybe somebody else… He shook his head again mentally. Think about other things and let time pass by…
He probably let 15 minutes pass by, by this mental block…
He needs to play his guitar, he needs stress relief…
"WAW! Sensei! You draw so well!" One of girls just screamed freely from her seat and other remarks followed along the lines 'he really is the famous Schuldig'. Ran reacted out of impulse, looking at the other blackboard from across the room. Looking at what he thought was a mirror image of himself and the rest of room was shocked and awed at the sight of it.
It was a sketch of Ran, well-made despite that he was just using chalk. With all the shading in place, light based on the light in that very. He was in a sitting position, writing notes, head bent down, hands in motion. It fit the board's height and was made with the most rough and delicate hand movements.
"Haha, yeah… it's rather incomplete though…" He replied. "because the model is a lot more good-looking than this, ne Fujimiya-san?" His voice directed at Ran who just glared at his direction. Thinking he was doing this to humiliate him in front of everyone. "He's suppose to have crimson colored hair, that looks like it flows from the river of eternal blood…" He said motioning his hands gracefully on the head of the model. "And his violet eyes are suppose to gleam like expensive gems from the cores of the earth…"
There was a scream of silence for a moment… They wanted to grasp his words… to really know what he was talking about.
"And if you don't believe me, the man is right over there." He turned back pointing at ran with chin who tried to ignore all the eyes on him again. "But you know, those are only a few of the good physical attributes and there are a lot of things to take into consideration that doesn't have to be physical."
Before anyone can comment on that. The bell rang unceremoniously, ruining the mood of the room and everyone got ready to leave in a hurry.
Schuldig laughed. "Talking really does eat time. Hopefully by tomorrow I'll have more of a lecture than a chat session." He took the eraser and started to erase his creation, slowly as not to get himself full of chalk dust. People were on their way out of the room, bidding the teachers farewell, some staying behind to interview Schuldig other chatted away to talk about him. Mr. Hall, feeling inferior left ahead.
Ran then took all things he had to do now into thought. Head toward Aya's school to pick her up, head home, play his guitar, eat dinner, take a shower, play his guitar again, and then get to sleep. With that in mind he stood but felt something clasp tightly on his shoulder. He turned around to give a death glare the THING that dared touch him only to find the blonde, a grin on his handsome face.
"How about that guitar lesson we talked about, Fujimiya-SAN?" Ran ignored it, he turned to face his exit but to have one of those lackeys close it off for him. He can feel the other spectators in the other side of the room glance at them. He can't back away with to many people and he can't beat the shit out of the loser who was still holding him because there was a teacher.
The German. If he wasn't around he can kill this sleaze…
He gave out a 'hn' and pushed away the hand. The blonde took it as a yes and went toward his packed guitar and amplifier. Carrying it near the plug by the piano and setting it up. He handed it to the red head who took it gently only for the sake of the instrument. "Let's see what you got."
Schuldig watched from his position, taking advantage of not having people around his age take his autograph and other things relevant and irrelevant to art. Ran slung the black straps over his head and under his shoulder, his eyes filled with a glint that said he had played this type of instrument before aside from his acoustic guitar he had played in the park a few days back.
He played to test the strings, fingers pressing on the strings on the board to see if all was hitting the right tune. After sometime of tuning he paused, taking his hands off the guitar and looked up at Youji. "What do want me to play?" A smiled played on Schuldig's face, knowing well he was going to kick ass and kick ass good.
"Anything you want to play." Youji answered. He's too feminine… (A/N: I, as a woman, take that as a SERIOUS offence.) Ran had to turn away to hid the grin, and the he took a deep breath. With that he placed his finger in position, strumming the strings rapidly to make a long punk-rock like sound, and then switch he switched to something with more rhythm and lower.
All he need was some drums and he would have been a pop star.
He ended it with a much more finishing fast rhythm, edgy and something that yelled 'I kicked your ass'. Then he took a deep breath and looked up at shocked green eyes. Shock gleaming in everyone's eyes except Schuldig's and Ran's. "So… how'd I do?"
The girls in the other sides of the room shrieked in total giddiness and ran toward him like he was a discount store. He just stared at them and dared not to say anything in fear that if he spoke they might think that he could sing and force him too. Youji in the other hand left without a word, not wanting to made fun of and the rest of his lackeys followed, Schu followed after him, leaving Ran behind with a final glance. The younger red head noticed he was the only man in the room after a few minutes and sighed.
It's like high school all over again.
TBC…
I hope you liked the chapter… I stalled a lot though… Hehehe… he he… I'm not very sure what happens in college, so forgive the made up blah's if you've noticed any…
Anyways, since this is AU, Schuldig has siblings! Wee! Yeah, 2 brothers, older, I haven't figured how they act or what they look like but if you'd like to suggest anything I'd really appreciate it. –smile- Now… Schuldig's mother I already have her so that's fine.
And Youji, Youji has always struck me as very straight so I don't really want some crazy triangle between him and the other two red heads. Maybe some other char.
Well, that's about it!
Review?... Please?
